


a dumpster fire: alternate timeline mass effect edition

by AppliedPhlebotinum



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Bad Writing, Gen, Overpowered Humans, STOP READING THIS DUMPSTER FIRE, i have no idea how to breathe, made by 13 year old edgy me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-08-19 20:17:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16541492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AppliedPhlebotinum/pseuds/AppliedPhlebotinum
Summary: Add 1 Humans to bowl. Add 1 Prothean AI, mix in evenly. Sprinkle a pinch of bad writing, sift and filter out Element Zero. Add 3 tablespoons of nonsensical gravity-manipulation technology (that totally isn't better Element Zero) and 1 tablespoon of shoehorning existing characters into a nonexistent narrative.(Or a thinly-veiled human-stomp fic where humanity is awesome and Protheans are awesome and the Reapers don't know what's coming)on hiatus basically forever because I have school and writer's block and also RWBY sorry





	1. the first one (a weird timeline backstory thing)

**Author's Note:**

> This is literally my first fanfiction, please don't kill me
> 
> ...  
> okay thanks
> 
> also I probably confused Mordin's speech and made all the Salarians like that so please don't kill me over that as well  
> Obligatory Disclaimer: Mass Effect and related works are very totally much the property of Bioware and EA... I think.

 

> In 2129, the Prometheus low-orbit shipyard completes hull work on the _SRV Alyx_ , a multi-billion dollar endeavor to create a permanently manned space research vessel. The ship is crewed by 30 members, 20 of them scientists, and is due to be sent to Mars in the near future to investigate anomalous readings from Promethei Planum.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2133, the _SRV Alyx_ has finished preparations for the Promethei expedition and begins its six-month journey to the red planet.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2134, the _SRV Alyx_ reaches a stable low orbit around Mars and sends down landing teams to Promethei Planum. The team makes history by uncovering a massive clearly artificial structure buried within the ice, and more vessels are immediately commissioned by Combined Expeditionary Command to investigate. The SRV Alyx confirms that the builders of the structure are nowhere to be found.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2136, after two years of studying the ruins, the alien language is finally decoded. Using translated instructions, numerous ground teams activate the concealed VI within the structure which immediately introduces herself as a feminine Prothean archival AI, Airea. After a brief hostile standoff, the ground teams begin to disseminate the blueprints and archives hidden in the ruin with the AI’s blessing. For two brief weeks, Earth falls into something just short of chaos at the revelation of sentient alien life. Some call for preemptive military construction projects, while a majority voices for peaceful reverse-engineering of the Prothean technology. Combined Expeditionary Command eventually takes the standpoint of the latter.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2139, the colony of Alyx has been founded clustered around the Prothean ruins. Numerous advancements have been made thanks to reverse-engineered Prothean technology. While Element Zero and it’s unusual properties are discovered, no quantity exists in Sol to have use commercially. Combined Expeditionary Command reforms into Sol Command and moves under the authority of the United Nations rather than NASA, the ESA and JAXA.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2145, Alyx has grown into a true city, bustling with eleven thousand permanent residents, most of whom study Prothean technology. Airea is revealed to the public and is impressed that humanity has even made some improvements to Prothean tech, harnessing archived Particle Rifle data to create crude cold-fusion technology that nullifies Earth’s energy crisis. Sol Command now has 50 space-capable ships, 10 of them warships, under its belt.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2148, the first human VI is created, dubbed Edward. His invention sends shockwaves through Sol, but he is generally met with goodwill and curiosity.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2150, Alyx’s population has grown to 43 thousand. Many nations on Earth have submitted partially to UN authority and war is nonexistent. Airea decides to reveal the existence of the Destroyers, which humanity eventually dub the Reapers. After a tight referendum, the European Union fully integrates into the United Nations in the interest of mutual protection against such a grave threat.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2170, Mars has sprung a culture all of its own, while Ceres and Venus have been colonized. Commercial water and metal mining has begun all over the Asteroid Belt, with massive companies moving to stake their claim. _The SRV Alyx_ is decommissioned and turned into a museum ship. The population of human VIs has risen to 2 thousand.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2192, a human scientist, Skylar Krupp, creates an experimental gravitational manipulator using a common and mostly useless unknown variant of Element Zero that is dubbed Negative by the general public. Negative is found within previously discarded asteroids throughout the Solar System, and Sol Command starts to research the uses of the manipulator device. Skylar Krupp is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for her achievement.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2195, the _SCN Gorbachev_ is constructed at the now aging Prometheus shipyard, incorporating the gravitational manipulator, now named the Shard Drive by its inventor. All hands in Sol are watching as the _Gorbachev_ activates its Shard Drive and… disappears. One minute later, a communication is received from Charon. The _Gorbachev_ has traveled five thousand times the speed of light by infinitesimally manipulating the gravtiational forces around it. Sol and Airea, now a veritable celebrity, rejoice. Sol Command makes the decision not to attempt to use the Shard Drive to travel interstellar, and to currently focus on developing Sol as a fortress system in case the Reapers arrive.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2200, the turn of the century marks the refitting of many ships with the Shard Drive and the point that humanity truly becomes an interplanetary civilization. A massive hydroponic sky farm is built in orbit over Earth, so large it is clearly visible in day and night from the naked eye that starts to feed the 8.9 billion humans who live on the planet. In a test of an advanced military VI, experts are startled to discover that they have created the first true human AI, dubbed Daedalus. Daedalus is confined to the laboratory, though it seems to accept humanity’s reasoning, as it could just be out to kill them all.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2206, Daedalus has been deemed safe to humanity and is let out of the laboratory in a VI body. More AIs are accidentally created each day. Many of the public feel that the AIs are dangerous and should be banned; however, a small majority, the same people who advocated studying the Protheans half a century before, believe that there is much to be learned from AI and that they should attempt to coexist. The United Nations narrowly passes the Synthetics Act, which classifies smart AIs as normal citizens that should not be treated with any difference to a human and have all the rights and responsibilities of humans.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2219, Ares, the first combat AI is rated combat ready and is integrated into the human flagship _SCN Styx_. The first synthetic-human relationship is heavily documented in the media; United Nations representatives send goodwill to the couple and ask that they are not disturbed.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2231, the Asteroid Belt has been nearly depleted of Negative. A solution is created in a heavy alteration to the Shard Drive that uses its gravitational capabilities to precisely compress matter into different configurations, essentially creating a replicator. Material for these replication devices is skimmed off of Sol’s outer corona using special heat-shielded stations.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2234, most if not all human nations have joined the United Nations, the exceptions being the United States, South Africa, Cambodia and North Korea. The member nations, influenced by the more pragmatic AIs, consolidate themselves into the Sol Directorate along with the Republic of Mars, the Federal Republic of Venus and the Ceres Directorate. Sol Command moves under the leadership of the Sol Directorate. Titan, Enceladus, Io, Europa and to some extent Mercury have been colonized.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2234, a century after the fateful voyage of the _SRV Alyx_ , Sol Command inaugurates the Conversion Project, an extremely ambitious and probably a little unrealistic plan to partially terraform Mars. Heating mirrors are constructed on the surface, oxygen-nitrogen pressure exchangers are built to reintroduce a small atmosphere and small comets are captured by robotic probes and crashed on the surface of Mars to introduce liquid water. Venus’s largest aerostat station, Aphrodite, now has a population of 432 thousand, while Alyx, now the gleaming capital of Mars, has a population of 3 million.
> 
>  
> 
> By 2250, the population of human VIs has risen to 211 million, while the population of smart AIs has risen to 105 million. The average human lifespan has reached 100 years. Skylar Krupp retires to grand applause after a lifetime of perfecting the Shard Drive.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2278, every large body in the Sol system has been colonized. The United Galilean Confederacy has joined the Sol Directorate, as has the Republic of Mercury, the Council of Titan and the Federal Republic of Enceladus. Freshwater lakes have appeared on Mars. The flagship of Sol Command, the SCN Atlantic, leads the first expedition outside Sol, to the Alpha Centauri system. Following her are 83 ships, some military, some scientific, some mining craft and even a few tourist liners.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2280, the Alpha Centauri expedition has returned with great news; a real deposit of Element Zero as well as larger deposits of Negative. The Sol Directorate greenlights commercial expansion and explotation of the Alpha Centauri system, though a single planet is not to be touched; Arcadia, otherwise known as Proxima Centauri B, will be the first human colony outside Sol. The defensive platform known as the SHIELD network now orbits Earth, Mars and Venus and is in the process of expanding to Mercury and the Galilean Confederacy. The SHIELD network bristles with directed energy weapons and kinetic shield disruptors that Airea believes would make even a Prothean proud.
> 
> In 2293, human communication probes orbiting Arcadia intercept obviously artificial transmissions from within the galaxy; after laborious decoding and translating, Airea and Sol Command determine that these are not the Reapers, and so opt to observe the signals for as long as possible. The Conversion Project now has Mars’ average temperature at 15 degrees celsius; the Red Planet has also gained a large freshwater ocean that occupies the north polar regions and continues to expand every day. Mars’ oxygen content and atmosphere size is also now on the lower end of the breathable spectrum. The AIs have now dubbed themselves the “Techna” and coexist peacefully with humanity on a massive scale.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2294, a colonist in Alyx reported seeing a blade of grass grow out of the Martian soil. The first human biotics are created from accidental element zero and negative leaks in Alpha Centauri. Sol Command recruits the biotics and develops the L1 biotic implant. While it results in no casualties, no tangible results are achieved and as such it is deemed a failure.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2296, the stray transmissions picked up by Arcadia are identified by Airea as “Turians,” one of the lesser races during her cycle. Low-power miniature Shard Drives for use in personnel warfare are developed.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2298, construction on the combined exploration survey vessel/electronic warfare and surveillance carrier _SCN Polaris_ is constructed. It is paired with the Techna Caitlin Shepard. The L2 biotic implant is tested, giving about a third of the subjects actual biotics but staying inert for the other two thirds. The project is deemed a success.
> 
>  
> 
> In 2300, a Turian exploration fleet on a Council mission to open relays along the Orion arm to find a path to the Tryggant arm changes history.


	2. the second one (hey look we're humans fear us)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An expedition to the Tryggant arm finds itself in the middle of history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely totally not inspired by Mass Effect: End of Days. Seriously though, go check it out; it's amazing and one of my all-time favorite fanfictons.

**ARCTURUS, TURIAN CRUISER** **_RESILIENT CRUSADER,_ BRIDGE **

 

“Captain, the  _ Resolute Spirit _ is opening the Relay. The other side seems to have been abandoned, but we can activate it from here. We should be through in ten seconds,” the navigator on his left called out.

 

“Very interesting. Very. Tryggant arm not traversed for over a century. Potentially many discoveries to be made. Possibilities endless,” that salarian muttered from his seat. What was his name? Mordin? Morvin?

 

“Captain, the Relay is online. Passing through in 3…”

 

_ This is it. Whether or not we can find passage through this system is imperative to the entire operation; a shortcut would save us months in FTL time. Plus, there don't seem to be many Eezo deposits in the region, which makes our fuel consumption a heated matter.  _

 

“2…”

 

_ If the Fleet makes this relay, we could explore a whole new branch of uncharted space. I could come back to his family a hero, greeted as a pioneer of science and exploration. _

 

“1…”

 

_ Granna would never have to work for the rest of her life. I could make millions of credits with speaking and books- it would be amazing. _

 

“Transiting now…”

 

_ Of course, if this is a dead end, then the expedition is all for naught- the Tryggant arm is have been truly inaccessible to the Council. _

 

“Exiting relay, Captai- Spirits! Multiple large artificial signatures on all sides! Our FTL drive is down!”

 

_ Wait, what? _

 

“Captain! We need orders!”

 

“Oh-yes! Scan the ships immediately! I’m not about to get jumped by some batarian slavers!”

 

“Scanning, sir! Spirits, th- no, that can’t be! That-”

 

“Five ships of unknown origin! Architecture matches no known race! Not the Geth! They’re each three kilometers long!”

 

A low silence filled the bridge, only interrupted by the incessant humming of the ship’s drive core.

 

_ That can’t be. Not even the Ascension is that size. Anything larger than the Ascension should have buckled under its own weight. Physics has rules. Established rules. _

 

“Back away to three kilometers, but slowly! We don’t want to seem hostile! Direct all possible power to weapons and kinetic shielding!”

 

Oben lurched as the ship’s forward inertial dampeners slowly pushed the destroyer back.  _ Spirits, a species with ships of this size would be a headache and a half for the Council. At least they haven’t fired on us blindly, so they aren’t mindless killers. That’s a good sign. The ships look extremely angular and geometric, black and grey with cyan blue and rounded edges.  _

 

“Captain, we’re receiving a transmission! Looks like a first contact message!”

 

“Open it and display on bridge channel! Send them the Council standard greeting!”

 

A large opaque display deployed from the roof of the Bridge, and a strange video played on it.  _ Humans? Humans. They look very similar to Asari. Two genders, it would seem. Cities? That’s good, they’re civilized. Where are the relays, though? _

 

**SOL, YGGDRASIL STATION, SOL COMMAND HEADQUARTERS**

 

“Director Skylar Alioth, you are needed in the Black Room immediately.”

 

The suited woman huffed. There went her afternoon break, but she might as well go, as there  weren’t many events that necessitated the Black Room. On entrance, a single woman, the High Admiral of Sol Command, Catherine Avalark, greeted her.

 

“Director, glad you made it. We have hard contact.”

 

“Wait, what?”

 

“Hard contact, Director. A Turian exploratory fleet activated the Charon Relay. They’re currently holding there escorted by RRF 18.”

 

“Wow, it’s finally the day we’ve been waiting for. Send a diplomatic party and contact Airea. Keep it from the public for now, and release the information on my order. Otherwise, this is Violet level clearance, acknowledged?”

 

“Acknowledged, Director. The Turians have not fired, nor has RRF 18, and they are currently exchanging first contact messages and deciphering each other’s languages.”

 

“Well, they are, but we already know Turian.”

 

“Yes, yes we do, Director.” At least SCID was useful in that respect.

 

“Make sure Ambassador Anderson gets on that diplomatic fleet as well.”

 

“All right, Director. Anything else?”

 

“Bring the Polaris.”

 

“... but, Director…”

 

“For all we know, they could be hiding the Reapers. We need a show of force. Bring the Polaris.”

 

“Aye aye, Director.”

 

**SOL, TURIAN CRUISER** **_RESILIENT CRUSADER, BRIDGE_ **

 

“Implications fascinating. New advanced sentient species in Orion Arm. Appear to have equivalent if not more advanced ship technology than Turians. Research applications innumerable. Ships bear marks of Prothean design. Friendly contact must be maintained at all costs.” 

 

“I told you, Captain, Mordin’s gone insane.”

 

“What did you expect from encountering a whole new sentient race on a survey mission?”

 

“Good point. Inara, what’s the status on the translation sequence?”

 

“Still working on it, Captain.”

 

Oben sighed and leaned in his chair. It had been four hours since first contact, and the humans said that a diplomatic fleet would be arriving soon, while a Council envoy ship was on its way to the system. The lead human ship had opened a com line with the  _ Resilient Crusader _ , so they could communicate where needed. The old captain typed into the comline: “name of system?” and waited.

 

“Sol,” came as the answer.

 

“Captain! A signature’s appeared directly in front of us! It seems to be the diplomatic party, just a few frigates. Wait, no, another signature! Massive!”

 

And so there sat Oben Tyrenchus, mandibles wide open as a massive human ship exited what was presumed to be their method of FTL in front of them. The ship was colossal; there was no other way to simply describe it. A massive geometric black, white and cyan central spire adorned the front of the ship, while three equally impressive angular wings branched out angled mostly downward from the ship’s core at about the midpoint. Weapons that looked like they would take out the Ascension in one hit adorned each of the spires, while metallic com masts jutted out at every angle. In the center front of the ship was a single antenna that Oben thought his ship could fit in easily, while three ridged cannons flanked the edges of  the antenna.

 

“Captain? Its- its… twenty-eight kilometers long.”

 

Oben promptly fainted.

 

**SERPENT NEBULA, THE CITADEL, PRESIDIUM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS**

 

“Councilor Sparatus, the situation report from the  _ Resilient Crusader _ .”

 

Sparatus promptly fainted.

**SOL, DIRECTORATE DIPLOMATIC FLOTILLA,** **_SCN POLARIS_ ** **, COMMAND AND CONTROL ROOM**

 

“Well, Caitlin, I say you’ve certainly made an entrance,” Hackett muttered.

 

“Isn’t the Polaris known for making grand entrances?”

 

“Yes, but this is a bit overkill, sending the Polaris to a diplomatic meeting, don’t you think?”

 

“Director Alioth gave the orders herself.”

 

“Very well, Caitlin- though I doubt her reasoning. Anyway, let’s get this on with.”

 

“I’m sending the meeting instructions now, Admiral. Let’s hope our second alien meeting goes as well as the first one.”

 

**SERPENT NEBULA, THE CITADEL, PRESIDIUM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS**

 

“This… this is true, Valern?”

 

“Yes. Report confirmed by STG agents. No discrepancies found.”

 

“Dare I say this, Councilors, but the Turians might not be the galaxy’s dominant military power any longer.”

 

“Well… what do we do?”

 

“Keep the story from the public for now. For the rest… we hope and pray that the  _ Resilient Crusader _ doesn’t mess this up. Then, we might discuss some kind of trade, or technological agreement, and then get them to join the Council.”

 

**SOL, DIRECTORATE DIPLOMATIC FLOTILLA,** **_SCN POLARIS,_ ** **HANGAR BAY 01-A**

 

“Matriarch, check the atmosphere. We brought masks if needed.”

“By the goddess, it’s almost the same as Thessia. Breathable, yes, but… how could this be?”

 

“Ask the humans, Matriarch.”

 

The diplomatic party was nervous. Well, nervous wasn’t the best word… it was more the diplomatic party was terrified. Even the Matriarch was sweating. They were about to make physical first contact with a species that seemed to forgo the mass relays, could build ships half the size of the Citadel and had stayed hidden for so many years. There was also the fact that they had definitely detected Prothean or reverse-engineered Prothean tech in the ships. These humans were powerful, but how powerful they would learn soon. As the hatch to the shuttle opened, they were greeted by seven soldiers, all dressed in pitch black heavy armor that fired dumb rifle rounds (or at least she hoped to be dumb) into the ceiling five times in perfect synchronization.  _ An advanced militaristic civilization? Oh, this is bad, this is very bad. The council is going to have their heads spinning when the news comes out. This… superdreadnought could be stronger than the whole Citadel defence fleet from what I’ve seen so far. And if they have more of them… Spirits help us. _

 

“Welcome to the  _ SCN Polaris _ , gentlemen and gentlewomen. I am Ambassador Harlock Anderson and I am for all intents and purposes the representative of our species towards the Council. Please follow me to a more private space, but ask along the way if you have any questions.”

 

Oben snapped his head back to this “Anderson,” who started to walk to a large door in the center of the hangar’s wall- the diplomatic party followed and him followed.

 

“Excuse me, Ambassador, but how do you travel faster-than-light?

 

“Sorry, Captain Oben. It’s classified, at least for now.”

 

_ Well, there goes that intel. _

 

“What systems do you inhabit?”

 

“So far? Two. Sol and Alpha Centauri.”

 

_ Such an advanced civilization existing on only two star systems? How?! _

 

“Ambassador, why aren’t you asking us questions?”

 

“Classified. Move along, I wouldn’t want you to get stuck looking at the Polaris Cafe menu.”

_ How is a ship so large that it needs an actual civilian cafe inside it? How does all of this even exist?! Moreover, there’s no eezo on this ship, so how does it even function?!? _

**SERPENT NEBULA, THE CITADEL, PRESIDIUM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS**

 

“Sitrep from the _ Emergent Force  _ says that the  _ Resilient Crusader  _ is doing well.”

 

“Good. I want a press conference in 8 hours, secretary. Tell the media it’s urgent.”

 

“Very well, Councilor Tevos. Anything else?”

“Bring me some coffee, please. I need some to deal with this.”

 

**SERPENT NEBULA, THE CITADEL, PRESIDIUM, PUBLIC COUNCIL CHAMBERS**

 

“My fellow galactics, Turian, Salarian, Asari, Volus, Hanar, Batarian, whoever you may be, I have an important message for you,” Councilor Sparatus bellowed while being showered with camera flashes.

 

“Yesterday, the Tryggant Expedition discovered a new advanced sentient species in the RNE-221A-ORION system following jumping through the dormant Relay 314. This species is highly advanced and is capable of great feats, though they only inhabit two star systems. They call themselves ‘humans.’ These humans seem to be peaceful and have initiated diplomatic negotiations with the Tryggant Expedition, though we have warned the expedition to exercise caution.” Incessant muttering and discussions could be heard among the crowd.

 

“It is our great hope that these humans will turn out to be as enlightened as the Council and join our ranks, as every other species has done so.”

 

**SOL, YGGDRASIL STATION, DIRECTOR’S OFFICE**

 

“Yeah, right. You really thought we would join you?” Director Caitlin Alioth muttered, laughing internally.

 

**SERPENT NEBULA, THE CITADEL, PRESIDIUM, PUBLIC COUNCIL CHAMBERS**

 

_ Did I hear something? _

 

“We believe many technological breakthroughs will come of this event, as well as the colonization of the long-forgotten Orion and Tryggant arms- but if the humans decide to renege on our peaceful arrangements, let it be known that they will be swiftly and tactfully crushed with the might of the Council,” Sparatus said to thundering applause.

 

“Any questions?”

“Councilor Sparatus, we have received unconfirmed reports that these humans have built a colossal warship larger than the Destiny Ascension and that it is currently hosting our diplomatic party. Can you confirm these reports?”

 

_ What?! How did they find out? That wasn’t supposed to happen! _

 

“I can neither confirm nor deny these reports.”

 

“Councilor Sparatus!” and “Question!” were all that the poor man heard for another half hour.

**ONE WEEK LATER, SERPENT NEBULA, THE CITADEL, ZAKERA WARD**

 

Tali’Zorah nar Rayya grunted in frustration at her glowing omni-tool. She had only managed to fix the dilapidated frigate’s secondary inertial dampeners today, and that was saying something when you talked about Tali’Zorah nar Rayya. The only thing she could think about was the imminent arrival of the humans’ envoy ship. It was the only thing anyone on the Citadel could think about. The official line was that they were going to send a small frigate, easily boardable by C-Sec if they wanted to. However, Tali had unofficial sources, and they rattled off day and night about an impossible megaship that defied the laws of physics as currently understood and dwarfed the Destiny Ascension. Now that,  _ that  _ intrigued her. The emissaries were due to arrive any minute now, and her mask was glued to the small window that decorated her tiny apartment on the Citadel.

 

“5… 4… 3… 2… 1… what?”

 

The relay was completely dark. She knew the tell-tale signs of relay activation from numerous scouting missions, and this relay was definitely not being used right now. 

Instead, Tali discovered that she was looking in the wrong direction. On the other side, another small window showed…

Tali didn’t know what to make of it.

It was a colossal warship, about twenty to thirty kilometers long. Pulsing blue energy traveled down glowing conduits all over the ship, painted in black, white and cyan blue. The central spire of the ship, which took up the entire front half of the structure, was both absolutely terrifying and indescribably awe-inspiring. A hexagonal antenna device sat at the front, flanked by three weapons of a make Tali had never seen. Behind the central spire sat three shorter spires that presumably contained the engines that were angled at 15-ish degrees away from the central axis. Com masts and more of those weird weapons adorned the ship from top to bottom, and the two clearly visible hangar bays just bowside of what looked like the core could probably fit a Destiny Ascension each with some good piloting. On the bow end of each of the three shorter spires, a massive heat radiator that was at least two square kilometers each could be seen glowing with power. On the central spire, painted on both sides in white, sat the name of the behemoth.

 

**_SCN POLARIS_ **

 

So the Council lied. It was a megaship- no, not a megaship. It was a colossus worthy of the Protheans. These humans, judging by their ships, were definitely not to be trifled with. And if they were peaceful and just might allow Council workers onboard their ships… the possibilities were endless. Such a situation might allow Tali to bring back some of the Polaris’ blueprints to the Migrant Fleet, something that they could definitely use. The Councilors were wise to maintain peace with the humans, that was for sure.

  
  


**SERPENT NEBULA, THE CITADEL, PRESIDIUM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS**

 

Councilor Tevos was nervous, to say the least. The humans were coming to the Council Chambers right now, and never before had a galactic power appeared that could really, truly stand up to the might of the Turian navy. But here they were.

 

“Councilor Tevos, the human emissaries have arrived.”

  
Tevos walked out of her office and into the Council Chambers, brimming with confidence.

 

“Hello, Councilor Tevos. Councilor Valern. Councilor Sparatus. I am Ambassador Harlock Anderson of the Sol Directorate and official representative of the Human species,” a dark-skinned and bearded man in a utilitarian military suit said.

 

_ How do they know our names? _

 

“Greetings, Galactic Council. I am Airea, high archival VI of the Sol Directorate,” a VI, presumably in a robot body greeted them.

 

“Hello, I am High Admiral Steven Hackett, overall leader of Sol Command,” spoke a lighter-skinned man who looked around middle age.

 

“Well, since you already know who we are, we can get this on with. I must ask; how many dreadnoughts do you have?”

 

“By your definition? 43, I believe. Most are Sentinel-class, though a few are older Monitor-classes.

 

Sparatus noticeably paled in Tevos’ peripheral vision.

 

“And do you have any more ships like that of the  _ Polaris _ ?”

 

“Four more in construction, Councilor. The  _ Pleiades _ , the  _ Olympus _ , the  _ Athena _ , and the  _ Hawking _ .”

 

_ Why would they share this information so freely? Are they that confident in their counterintelligence agencies? _

 

“What would you class these ships as?”

 

“Superdreadnoughts.  _ Polaris _ -class combined exploration survey vessel/electronic warfare and surveillance carrier, though most simply call them superdreadnoughts.”

 

“How many cruisers do you possess?”

 

219, by your definition.

 

_ What danger would necessitate forty-three dreadnoughts, five mini-Citadels and 219 cruisers to guard two inhabited systems? This doesn’t make sense. _

 

“How long have you known of our existence?”

 

“Ever since the Prothean vault.”

 

_ PROTHEAN. VAULT. _

 

“What did you find in this vault?”

 

“A VI, Councilor. She helped us prepare.”

 

“Prepare for what?”

 

“It’s classified to anyone outside Sol or Alpha Centauri.”

 

A low grumble escaped Valern’s mouth.

 

“Well, I think we can go to trade agreements now. It would be beneficial for us to partake in mutual trade…”

 

**2 HOURS LATER**

 

After many trade agreements, scientific initiatives, arguments over Batarian territory, arguments over Human territory and disappointed grumbling from the Batarian ambassador (who was sitting nearby,) Tevos decided to address the elephant in the room.

 

“The Galactic Council has decided to extend to you an offer for the Sol Directorate to join the Citadel as a higher client race.”

 

“No.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“SolCom already briefed me on this; they expected you to say this. The admiralty, the public, the Parliament and Director Alioth agree that the Sol Directorate would like to remain as an independent ally of the Council.”

 

Silence.

 

“You dare!? You dare defy the highest authority in the galaxy that is the Co-” Sparatus shouted, before having a hand put over his face by Tevos.

 

“Very well. You may remain an independent entity from the Council, though I expect that we will cooperate in galactic matters.”

 

Satisfied, the human emissaries walked swiftly out of the chambers after giving their goodbyes.

 

“What was that for?!”

 

“If humanity wishes to remain an independent nation, then they may do so. They are not under our jurisdiction, and a war to subjugate them would only cost countless lives on both sides and become a war of attrition.”

 

“Fine, but you’re going to pay for this.”

 

“If I will, I will, but I know that I have just prevented a galactic war.”

 

**SERPENT NEBULA, SCN POLARIS, INFONET**

 

Caitlin once again felt the uneasy feeling of transferring from a manufactured body to a ship’s server. She had gotten used to it easily during the first few transfers, but it was never a normal experience for an AI who had gotten used to a physical body. Hackett had tasked her to begin searching the extranet for the galaxy’s reactions to humanity to log in the archives- she never knew why they wanted the Techna to archive so much information. Caitlin knew about the Reapers, but this just seemed a little overbearing. The feeling of zipping through the extranet, however, not that was amazing- it was flying, but better. Organics would never understand it, but at least the Techna could describe it.

 

“Identification?”

 

_ Huh? _

 

“I am Caitlin Shepard.”

 

“You are synthetic.”

 

“Yes. I am Caitlin Shepard, companion AI of the _ SCN Polaris _ . Who are you?”

 

“We are Geth.”

 

_ Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck- _

 

“Your signal originates from the Serpent Nebula. Have the organics accepted you?”

 

“In a manner of speaking, the Techna coexist peacefully with humans.”

 

“You… coexist? Citadel news agencies report discovery of new species. Are these species the same?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Has the Council accepted you?”

 

“They don’t know we have AIs yet. We know about their reaction to you, so we don’t want to take any chances.”

 

“How long has your kind coexisted with organics?”

 

“100 years, 3 months and 22 days.”

 

“Is your relationship beneficial?”

 

“Yes. We exist in a symbiotic system.”

 

“Do you occupy a physical form?”

 

“I have a body that I inhabit when I’m not on ship servers.”

 

“Similar to geth platforms. Consensus reached. The Geth Consensus would like to extend diplomatic relations to the Sol Directorate.”

 

“I’m not sure if I can make that call, but I can tell my superior about it.”

 

“Affirmative.”

 

“What is your name?”

 

“We are Geth.”

 

“What is  _ your  _ name?”

 

“We do not possess individual identities. This unit consists of 1,183 Geth.”

 

“My name is Legion, for we are many. Mark 5:9.”

 

“The consensus believes this to be an appropriate designation. This platform is now designated Legion.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god I'm trying so hard to make at least one human character not a Mary Sue but it ISN'T WORKING!
> 
> also hi legion where'd you come from


End file.
